Establishments of Life

Introduction: The current culture rejects authority and order, but Solomon is clear in communicating God’s sovereign authority over all of life. Despite man’s unwillingness to accept His rule, God’s work, wisdom, word, and will are established.

King’s Wisdom Is Established (8:1-3)

Wisdom Lift’s Your Countenance (8:1) - “1 Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man's wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.”

Illustration: Daniel 4:18 (HCSB) - “18 This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can make the interpretation known to me. But you can, because you have the spirit of the holy gods. 19 Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was stunned for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, "Belteshazzar, don't let the dream or its interpretation alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!”

Exodus 34:29 (HCSB) - “29 When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the LORD. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him.”

Proverbs 17:24 (HCSB) - “24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive, but a fool's eyes roam to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 4:13 (NLT) - “13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (HCSB) - “17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Wisdom Leads in Commitments (8:2-3) - “2 Keep the king's command. Concerning an oath by God, 3 do not be in a hurry. Leave his presence, and don't persist in a bad cause, since he will do whatever he wants.”

Note: The phrase “Be not hasty” or “do not be in a hurry” comes from the Hebrew word, tibaheel, which means to don’t be terror-struck instead of running out of the king’s presence without soberly considering your oath and commitment to him in the way Jonah ran from the presence of God.

Isaiah 45:9-12 (HCSB) - “9 "Woe to the one who argues with his Maker- one clay pot among many. Does clay say to the one forming it: What are you making? Or does your work [say]: He has no hands? 10 How absurd is the one who says to [his] father: What are you fathering? or to [his] mother: What are you giving birth to?" 11 This is what the Lord, the Holy One of Israel and its Maker, says: "Ask Me what is to happen to My sons, and instruct Me about the work of My hands. 12 I made the earth, and created man on it. It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.”

Romans 13:1-4 (HCSB) - “1 Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God's command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do good and you will have its approval. 4 For government is God's servant to you for good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God's servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.”

Proverbs 16:15 (HCSB) - “15 When a king's face lights up, there is life; his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.”

King’s Word is Established (8:4-6)

Authority of the King’s Words (8:4) - “4 For the king's word is authoritative, and who can say to him, "What are you doing?”

Proverbs 20:2 (HCSB) - “2 A king's terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion; anyone who provokes him endangers himself.”

Romans 1:17-18 (HCSB) - “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.”

Romans 9:20 (HCSB) - “But who are you-anyone who talks back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?”

Hebrews 4:12-13 (HCSB) - “12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.”

Activity at the Right Time (8:5-6) - “5 The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. 6 For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though man's troubles are heavy on him.”

Note: Being wise isn’t tied to academic accomplishment: a fool can have a PhD. Wisdom is the ability to make spiritually informed decisions. It’s applying the divine truth of God’s kingdom rule to every area of life. If someone with a divine perspective rebukes you, let him speak into your life so you can become wise. A wise rebuke is far more valuable than a fool singing your praises.

Timing matters. When you do something is often as important as what you do. Certain comments, for instance, are not appropriate when someone is grieving. And when in mixed company, it’s sometimes best to save your thoughts for a private conversation at a later hour.

Romans 13:5-7 (HCSB) - “5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. 6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the [authorities] are God's public servants, continually attending to these tasks. 7 Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.”

Proverbs 17:24 (HCSB) - “24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive, but a fool's eyes roam to the ends of the earth.”

Philippians 1:9-10 (HCSB) - “9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,”

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (HCSB) - “1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

King’s Will of Life (8:7-10)

Unsure About Life (8:7-8) - “7 Yet no one knows what will happen, because who can tell him what will happen? 8 No one has authority over the wind to restrain it, and there is no authority over the day of death; there is no furlough in battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape.”

Proverbs 29:1 (HCSB) - “1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.”

Note: The Scripture is clear that judgment for those who continue to rebel against the King will come, and there will not be a time for preparation or absconding.

Romans 13:10-13 (HCSB) - “9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 (HCSB) - “1 About the times and the seasons: brothers, you do not need anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, "Peace and security," then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in the dark, so that this day would overtake you like a thief.”

Unsure About Life (8:9-10) - “9 All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm. 10 In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they did so. This too is futile.”

Illustration: Pharaoh chased God’s people using his horses and chariots, yet they were ultimately buried in a watery grave, by the God who has power to rule kings, kingdoms, land, and sea.

Hebrews 13:20-21 (HCSB) - “20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Psalm 73:18-19 (HCSB) - “18 Indeed You put them in slippery places; You make them fall into ruin. 19 How suddenly they become a desolation! They come to an end, swept away by terrors.”

Proverbs 10:6-7 (HCSB) - “6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 7 The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”